Adults are missing out

Too many adults have given me that sideways look, as if I'm being ridiculous, when I inquire if they've seen the (brilliant) Pixar film Inside Out. First, I have to mention that I'm a huge fan of Ed Catmull (Twitter: @edCatmull) [read about him here: ​http://www.creativityincbook.com/catmull/] and his team of creative superheroes at Pixar. I recently saw him interviewed at the Global Leadership Summit #GLS15. He shared some excellent insights about being a leader but I digress. 
What I really want to share with you is the amazing insights that can be gained from the film geared toward children. The story line features a young girl named Riley who moves from her childhood home at a pivitol time in her life. During the course of the move, her emotions which generally allow most memories to feature the exceeding happiness of Joy. Joy is a character everyone likes (except me) because she is happy go lucky and makes Riley's life full of positive memories (only in real life she is that person who wants you to just "cheer up" and "give us a smile" when you're having a crappy day and it makes you want to punch her in the face because she's just too cheerful, ugh). Joy really has zero tolerance for Sadness. She never lets Sadness access the control panel and Sadness is highly repressed and her repression leads to some big problems in Riley's "Headquarters". Ultimately Riley loses contact with both of them and they are forced to work together to set things right. The other emotions, comically try to cover the absence of Joy and Sadness but fail miserably. Among the other important messages we come to understand that all emotions are valuable and purposeful even if they are seemingly less desirable.
Kids need this lesson because we don't want them to try to avoid listening to pain and the messages it conveys in terms of what needs aren't being met and how we can better reach our goals and maintain hope. Many of the adults who have given me that sideways look need this reminder even more than the kids I know. Many have blocked Sadness in the same way she was blocked and repressed in the film. However when we flip that internal switch that shuts off sadness it shuts off our access to all of our emotions and we struggle to connect with others, we struggle to be creative and individual, we struggle to love and find hope, we struggle and become bored with the monotony of daily life. We must learn to embrace, acknowledge, validate, and accept all of our emotions and listen to what they are whispering to us. They are our friends not our enemies. They all deserve a seat at the control panel. 
(Don't leave before you see the clip with the cat emotions, it makes SO MUCH SENSE). 
Click here to link to the movie trailer and some fun printables including a coloring page: http://afewshortcuts.com/2015/03/free-disney-pixar-inside-out-printable-activity-sheets/

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